Featured Review: Prophase: A Present Tale by Mitchel Street

S dot Lennon · Post by **S dot Lennon** » 20 Aug 2014, 16:22

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Prophase: A Present Tale" by Mitchel Street.]

Share This Review

Piper Walker lost her mother to cancer at a young age. Since then her father has become an alcoholic and she has become the main caretaker of her younger brother, Charlie. Piper is now in her senior year of high school and is looking forward to attending University of Wisconsin-Madison in the fall. When her boyfriend Chris, who is also going to attend college with her in the fall, breaks up with her days before her birthday she is devastated and heartbroken. An emotional confrontation then happened between the two at the school dance on her birthday, which her best friend Lisa insisted they go to. Upset she leaves with Lisa and their friend Josh and almost dies in an accident. Somehow Piper has saved their lives by manipulating the very essence of the car and stopping a collision that would have taken all of their lives. But how? What are these lights and auras she is seeing everywhere and in everything? Where did all of these changes come from, not only in appearance but in her strength, hearing and eyesight? The one person who has answers is the old neighbor, Esther, who has been a part of her life since she was a little girl but is she ready for the truth? Is Piper ready to fulfill her destiny?

Prophase: A Present Tale is a fantasy coming of age novel. Piper has never been the most beautiful or most popular girl but she has always had great friends and for the last two years an amazing boyfriend. She has been responsible for the care of her brother for a long time and it has matured her. She has her life planned out and she is ready for the future. The changes that overcome her on her eighteenth birthday, which also happens to be the vernal equinox, are overwhelming and shocking. She is going to uncover a world she never knew existed. A world that is very much in turbulence within itself. There is a whole history that she must uncover about who she is and how she can affect the world as she knows it.

Street created a very interesting and imaginative world full of different types of beings and magic. Piper is a character that is easy to like and understand. She is a very genuine person with good intentions. I enjoyed observing her embrace the amazing change that was coming over her and her unbelievable increase in power. Piper, as our narrator, had to absorb an abundant amount of information all while in hiding and all while trying to keep a semblance of the life and friendships she had before she was awakened.

Quite a few things happened throughout this novel, almost too much, to the point where it felt forced. When some of the different beings were introduced they were lacking in details. Vague descriptions were provided that still left many questions. Street created a world that was nice to imagine but could use some development. I want to understand the different aspects of the beings introduced if they are going to be a vital part of the story. More informed introductions to these characters would do wonders for the development of this novel.

Many fans of fantasy novels will enjoy this novel. I give this novel 3 out of 4 stars. Prophase: A Present Tale is an interesting, easy to read, coming of age novel that with a little fine tuning and development could be a successful series.

***
Buy "Prophase: A Present Tale" on Amazon
Buy "Prophase: A Present Tale" on Barnes and Noble

imnoutdoorgirl · Post by **imnoutdoorgirl** » 24 Aug 2014, 11:39

Add this title to your MUST READ list!!!

In Prophase, A Present Tale, author Mitchell Street has created a wonderful coming-of-age story that is sure to delight all readers. The teenage protagonist, Piper, is easy to relate to, and like most teens, does the best she can to survive her circumstances. Street allowed me to enter Piper’s world easily, and I felt as though I came to know her well in the pages of this artfully crafted novel.

I was drawn in by Piper’s circumstances - a teenage girl without a mother, living with a bitter, alcoholic father, forcing her to take the responsibility for her younger brother and household chores. Piper’s love of animals, music, and the outdoors mirror that of many teens, and her longing to “fit” into the world is a universal desire. When her special powers are revealed to her by the elderly woman next door, the story takes on a delicious twist. Who has not longed for extraordinary powers to escape the realm of a typical teenage life? Street’s lush descriptive writing style paints vivid images of Piper’s dual reality that are a joy to read. Included is a wonderful undercurrent of science; Prophase is a stage in cell division, which mirrors Piper’s journey into her otherworld existence.

Beautifully illustrated throughout with original paintings by J. Robert, the story intimately develops through both prose and artwork. Street is currently working on book two of The Mitosis Series, Metaphase (another stage of cell division), and I cannot wait to join Piper in her next set of adventures.

ALynnPowers · Post by **ALynnPowers** » 27 Aug 2014, 08:48

This sound like something I would love to read! Thanks for the review!

Arrinndoner · Post by **Arrinndoner** » 27 Aug 2014, 18:08

This sounds interesting. The way you describe it, it sounds like almost a cross between the Everworld Series and the Twilight Series. The age group targeted for this group would be teenage girls, I would assume? Although I'm sure there's plenty more people who would enjoy it as well.

thebestdo · Post by **thebestdo** » 27 Aug 2014, 23:49

This story has cycling of life. The way you describe it, like just human being do in their life, have many problem and some solutions. It's more interested than old-story novel.

curlybookworm · Post by **curlybookworm** » 29 Aug 2014, 04:09

Gotta give time reading this book! I can't wait to have my own copy!

Kudos to your review!

Illustrator · Post by **Illustrator** » 29 Aug 2014, 08:55

This action/adventure story is a refreshing read in that leans more on love and personal relationships, than the violence so prominent in story telling today.
Piper is really likeable. Her adventures become yours.
Experience the magical and mystical world that Mitchel creates with the skill of a poet. His descriptions of the beauty and intrigue that surrounds us every day gets amped up as a super reality, complete with engaging metallically gleaming characters, overlay our world. Mitchel further melds this super reality with everyday reality through scientific explanations that convince the reader that it is only a matter of time before her world becomes our own.
This is an excellent guide to all young people that face an uncertain future. Prophase is a cross generational novel reminding adult readers of the fears of finding your way in a foreign world and the fun of being a teen. If you want your daughters and sons to be stronger and more confident share this story with them.
I highly recommend this novel to any and all readers.

White Dove · Post by **White Dove** » 29 Aug 2014, 09:24

Sounds like an interesting book. This might be something that I would like to read.

S dot Lennon · Post by **S dot Lennon** » 29 Aug 2014, 20:02

Thanks Guys! It was very interesting. I liked that it was a new fresh idea for a fantasy novel.

sahmoun2778 · Post by **sahmoun2778** » 01 Sep 2014, 09:48

Thanks for reviewing this book. Sounds like one my teenager might enjoy.

mixedchocolite · Post by **mixedchocolite** » 03 Sep 2014, 18:27

Reading reviews like this is why I love reading. This one will definitely be added to my must read list. Once finish I will be posting my review

mesha2k · Post by **mesha2k** » 05 Sep 2014, 08:28

The reviews regarding the book were kind of mixed being that they were both postiive and negative. For instance, one post said that the characters were not as developed as they could have been and another said only that they would love to read the book. Accordingly, I read a brief excerpt from the book and it does look as if it would be a great teenage reading and hopefully not to complicated to read for the possible teenage audience.

Vicky · Post by **Vicky** » 05 Sep 2014, 19:05

Sounds like an interesting book. This might be something that I would like to read in one breath

lou wakey · Post by **lou wakey** » 06 Sep 2014, 04:17

what a book !!! i could not put this down.. people can relate to every issue in this book , well writen , a book that would be topic of the staff room. read this and pass it on